Fabricating inorganic-on-organic interfaces for molecular electronics employing a titanium coordination complex and thiophene self-assembled monolayers

Abstract

Systems and methods for preparing inorganic-organic interfaces using transition metal coordination complexes and self-assembled monolayers as organic surfaces. In one embodiment, a silicon wafer supports a polycrystalline gold layer, optionally using an intermediate adhesionlayer such as Cr. The surface is reacted with the thiophene end of organic molecular species comprising a thiophene moiety to prepare self assembling monomers (SAMs). The functionalized end of the SAM is then reacted with metal-bearing species such as tetrakis(dimethylamido)titanium, Ti[N(CH3)2]4, (TDMAT) to provide a titanium nitride layer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 691,605, filed Jun. 17, 2005, and is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 155,453, filed Jun. 17, 2005, each of which applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] The invention described herein was made in the performance of work under NSF grants ECS-0210693 and DMR-0079992, and is subject to the provisions of Public Law 96-517 (35 U.S.C. §202) in which the Contractor has elected to retain title.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The invention relates to systems and methods for preparing thin films in general and particularly to systems and methods that employ self-assembling monolayers as a component of the process. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Many modem electronic devices are solid state devices, th...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

This approach bodes well for carrying out fundamental studies on a single or few molecules but can not be used for fabricating arrays of devices.

However, this approach suffers from the problem of penetration of the organic monolayer by the metal species, the extent of which depends on the terminal OFG as well as the metal studied.

The films, in quite a few instances, were rough and exhibited poor adhesion.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that in some cases, the films suffered from carbon and chlorine contamination.

Despite their importance, many aspects of the formation of these interfaces are not fully understood.

Formation of these interfaces, however, is much less mature in comparison to “organic-on-inorganic” interfaces constructed using SAMs.

XPS revealed that the TiO2 films that were formed had significant carbon and chlorine contamination.

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